Lockard returns as head coach for Widener men’s team

Director of Athletics Jack Shafer has announced alumnus Jamie Lockard as the new head men’s lacrosse coach at Widener University. He will be overseeing the program for the second time after most recently serving in the same position at Albright and Wheaton.

Jamie Lockard

“We are very excited to have Jamie join us again at Widener as our head men’s lacrosse coach,” said Shafer. “His experience and success at multiple Division III programs, as well as his familiarity with our institution, make him an ideal fit to lead our men’s lacrosse program. He has already helped establish this program as a former student-athlete and successful head coach. We believe that Jamie will be able to hit the ground running and continue our program’s tradition of excellence on and off the field.”

Lockard comes to Widener after spending the last season at Albright. As the second head coach in the program’s five-year history, he helped the Lions advance to the semifinal round of the Middle Atlantic Conference Commonwealth Tournament and mentored six student-athletes who garnered postseason recognition from the league.

Prior to his stint at Albright, Lockard was the head coach at Wheaton College in Massachusetts for four seasons. In this position, he most notably led the Lyons to a program-record 11 wins in 2012, which included registering a 5-1 ledger in league play, and was recognized as the Pilgrim League Coach of the Year that spring. Wheaton advanced to the conference tournament three times in four years under his guidance and reached the conference championship game against perennial power Springfield College in 2012. In addition, the program produced 18 all-conference players, one conference player of the year and 17 academic all-conference selections over those four years.

Lockard’s first head coaching stint was at Widener between the 2007 and 2011 seasons. During his five years at the helm, Widener advanced to four NCAA Tournaments and compiled an overall mark of 58-36 in that span. The 2011 squad also broke the school record for wins in a season and won a record-breaking 13 games in a row. Lockard was named the Middle Atlantic Conference Coach of the Year in 2010 and produced 31 all-conference players as well as three student-athletes who made the Philadelphia Inquirer Academic All-Area Team.

Before beginning his coaching career, Lockard was a standout student-athlete for the Pride. The four-year letterwinner was most notably a two-time USILA All-America selection, the 2002 MAC Player of the Year and the 2003 Widener University Male Athlete of the Year.

“I would like to thank Jack Shafer and the search committee for this opportunity,” stated Lockard. “As an alumnus and former coach, I feel honored to be able to return to this institution which is very special to me. Widener’s excellent academic reputation, coupled with the rich tradition of the men’s lacrosse program, attracts some of the best student-athletes. I am looking forward to building upon the program’s strong foundation and annually competing at a national level.”

Lockard, who has been a part of eight of Widener’s nine NCAA Tournament teams in program history, earned his bachelor’s degree in business administration with a concentration in sport management at Widener in 2003. He will begin his duties later this month.